Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-01-08
THE DEER RANGE OF MAINE.
An Unsettled Forest Covering 500 squal
Miles.

An Unsettled Forest Covering 500 squar
Miles.
Lewiston Journal.
The deer range covered by the almost
unsettled forest stretching miles into
the interior of the state from the eastern
portion Of the coast line embraces an
area of about 500 square miles. This
vast tract has been bereft of the greater
part of its valuable timber by lumber
men, and the forest is now in q state Of
reproduction. Through this region deer
wander In such numbers that In the
opinion Of Major Boyd there is no otheE
deer range in the country equal to it.
Houses away from the coast are found
only at rare intervals, there being whole
townships with not even road running
through them. To this attractive hunt
ing ground every year a great number
OF spOrtsmen come from outside the state
to hunt the deer in a lawful manner.
The W-Rblding citizens Of that section
Of the state extend a ready welcome to
the sportsmen, knowing that their visits
are material advantage, it being esti-
mated that at least $50 are left IN the
state for each deer the spOrtsmen kill.
They pay literally for the service Of the
guides who accompany them to the best
spots, as well as the boys who go to tend
the camp. The teams which transport
the camp equipage are hired Of the livery
stables in Maine towns, and the supplies
are bought In Maine stores, while the
sportsmen in going and coming to the
range stop at Maine hotels. The citi-
zens Of the state enjoy the same privi-
leges in their right to hunt deer as do
these visitors from away, so there is no
just cause Of complaint against the law
To prevent the extinction Of the deer
the state law provides that they shaI-
not be hunted with hounds. 'StiA
hunting" said Major @. II. Boyd, Of
the United States coast survey, who has
just returned from a three-months So
journ in the vicinity of Machias aud the
hunting grounds, 'inever viii drive the
deer from the state while the forests last,
but the cry Of the dogs brighten the deer
from the ranges, and they viii not re-
turn for long time when once fright
ened Of" The game wardens In the ex-
esutiOn Of their duty, whenever they
have been informed that party Of hunt
ers have gone into the woods with
hounds, give chase and cruise until the
camp Is discovered, and then woe to the
dogs If they are kept for killing deer;
the wardens make short work Of them.
For all the region OF 500 square miles
there are but four wardens; and how
ever Vigilant they may be, they can not
suppress poaching and logging. 81
wish" said Major Boyd, athat you
would say something to arouse the IN
terest of the people Of this part Of the
state IN regard to a matter OF such value
as the preservation Of the game. With
close time Of five years upon moose
and carbon, these animal would again
become abundant. Maine is ahead Of al
other states in her game laws, but the
fact that the officers are defed and mo-
Tested, shows the need of q larger num-
Der Of men engaged In enforcing the
laws Thirty or forty men should go
into the woods every year for this pur-
pose" Major Boyd added that were It
not for the law, there are men IN tbs
hunting region who wOuid go into the
woods next winter and kill all the deer
that they might sell the hides as Is
cents spices. The deer now range near
the coast, as well as IN the interior, but
no complaints about them comes from
the farmers, ss the deer wiz pass ogsl
cultivated land and do no inJarF to The
crops.